Indian bowling attack one of the best to tour SA, says MSK Prasad

Kolkata, Dec 21 (Cricketnmore) The Indian pace battery chosen for the much-talked about South Africa tour starting next month is one of the best to have toured the country, chairman of selectors MSK Prasad said here on Thursday.

"The confidence we have with so many victories in Test matches, though they have come at home but still..going on a winning note is always good. So I am sure this is one of the most balanced teams that we have," he added.

Right-arm pacer Bumrah's ability to bowl with variety is the reason he was selected for the longest format, Prasad said, adding Ankit Rajpoot, Basil Thampi and Avesh Khan would also travel as net bowlers.

"You see Umesh (Yadav) and (Mohammed) Shami might be hitting 140 but they still swing the ball. We also have Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) who can swing the ball either way. We have included Bumrah who has variety. Ishant (Sharma) is there always and Hardik (Pandya) adds that different dimension," Prasad said.

"So there are five different varieties of bowlers that we have picked."

Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has been going through a lean patch lately, but Prasad sounded unfazed saying the middle-order batsman is at his best abroad and his record speaks for itself.